Government moves to address menace of nomadic herdsmen

The government is constructing a number of cattle fodder banks in the Eastern Region at a cost of GH¢50 million to help address the menace of nomadic herdsmen in the area.

Four out of five cattle fodder banks which are being constructed will restrict the free movement of cattle on the plains and also avoid the destruction of farms and conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

Work on the construction of the fodder bank at Wawase in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) in the Eastern Region is progressing steadily.

The project will avert the frequent violent clashes between nomadic herdsmen and peasant farmers in the area.

On completion, the project will have an attached veterinary and four dugouts in four sections within which grass will be grown to feed the cattle on rotational basis.

Inspection

Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and the people of Wawase to end his three-day familiarisation visit to the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said his visit was to inspect progress of work on the project.

He said the frequent violent conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and peasant farmers in the Afram Plains did not augur well for farming in the food-basket district of the region.

The project, he said, would confine cattle rearing within appropriate boundaries to curtail clashes and also strengthen the district assembly in enforcing its by-laws on stray animals.

He indicated that cattle that would be confined in the bank would be tagged and supervised by well-trained personnel.

The President applauded the commitment of the committee to the project and called on the chiefs and the people to support the contractor to ensure the speedy execution of the project to enable the government to resolve the Fulani herdsmen/farmer conflicts.

Touching on the poor roads in the area, President Nana Akufo-Addo promised to fix them, since the area was the food basket of the country.

Support beyond aid

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said the intervention of the government in the issue of the Fulani herdsmen was yielding positive results.

The Krontihene of the Wawase Traditional Area, Nana Adu Pako II, commended the government for fulfilling the promises made to the people during the 2016 campaign.

"The implementation of free senior high school (SHS) education has brought relief to parents, since they no longer pay school fees. We parents are happy with the government and will support it to develop the country beyond aid," he said.

College of education

The President also visited Donkorkrom in the Afram Plains North District and interacted with the chiefs and the people of the area.

He called for their support to enable him to bring the needed development to the people.

The Twifohene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Nana Kwasi Opoku Mintah II, expressed worry over the poor road network in the area and appealed to the President to rehabilitate them.

He appealed to the President to establish a college of education at Donkorkrom, since teachers did not accept posting to the community because of the bad road network.

He commended the government for the extension of electricity to the various communities in the district.

End of tour

President Akufo-Addo also visited the chiefs and the people of Mpreaso in the Kwahu South District to end his three-day familiarisation tour of the region.

The Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong, appealed to the government to fix the deplorable roads in the area.

“I have confidence in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo transforming Ghana beyond aid. It is an undeniable fact that barely two years in office, Nana Akufo-Addo has done well and there is the need for him to be supported to do more.

“My people, let’s join hands with the President to develop our own country. If we come together as one people, with a common destiny, we can move the Kwahu South District and the country at large forward,” he stated.